Good Local Economics

Managing demand for our public services cannot be served from the transformation of a service alone. Neither can it be served by hoping the problem will go away. Instead, we must tackle the inequality and economic conditions which give rise to high levels of social need in the first place. Economic development needs to get a social face.

The Dutch city of Delft is proving that collaboration between the local council, universities and businesses can help small cities keep one step ahead, as Jennifer Tankard explains.

Delft has a population of just under 100,000 and lies in the shadow of the Netherlands administrative centre, The Hague, and Rotterdam, one of the largest ports in the world. The city could easily become a dormitory town, relying on its history, its famous blue pottery, its links to Vermeer and its scenic canals to generate jobs in tourism while skilled workers commute out for employment.